June 2006

Planning a Seamless Succession (Big Grower, June ’06). “James Olan Hutcheson, founder and CEO of ReGENERATION Partners, a family business consulting firm . . . said roughly two-thirds of family businesses fail in the second generation largely because of family issues. . . . The first step in planning a succession is creating a crisis plan—develop your will and figure out who will take over the business. . . . The success of such a move depends largely on the chosen relative’s motivation to work in the industry and his or her real-world job training. . . . Make your heirs go through the same steps that anyone else vying for the position would go through. . . For families with multiple children or heirs. . . . dividing equally and creating passive ownership can position heirs for massive legal battles in the future. . . . Instead of dividing equally, try talking with your family and dividing your assets differently among them: The children involved with the company can inherit it, while others can receive insurance benefits, real estate holdings or other assets.”

Dairy Outlook - Second Half 2006 (Dairy Outlook Summer ’06) Dr. Ken Bailey says, “Despite a strong showing for domestic consumption of key dairy commodities, the U.S. will be in a surplus situation for the balance of the year. This will be particularly true for butter and nonfat dry milk. Butter inventory in April was 20 percent ahead of a year ago. And as of June 2, 2006 the U.S. government had purchased 48.8 million pounds of nonfat dry milk over the past 12 weeks.” Read the complete summer edition of Dairy Outlook at http://dairyoutlook.aers.psu.edu/reports/Pub2006/DairyOutlookSummer2006.pdf.

Accounting software isn’t enough (Dairy Herd Management, June ’06). Bruce Jones, professor of agricultural economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, says, “Dairy farm businesses are bigger and more complex today. As a result, few producers have the time to develop all of the expertise in accounting and finance needed to handle every decision with financial consequences. . . . As dairy farms have grown, producers have learned there are advantages to getting management assistance from specialists. . . . The natural extension of this model is for producers to retain the services of an accountant who can assist with income taxes, financial-reporting requirements, investment decisions and loan negotiations. . . . It’s true that it can be costly to utilize the services of accountants. But it can be even more costly to make investment or credit decisions that put a drag on the profitability of your dairy farms or, at worst, push your operation into bankruptcy.”

Will New Beverage Guidelines Mean More Milk in Schools? asks Lancaster Farming (June 17, ’06). Writer Dave Lefever quotes PDA deputy secretary of marketing and economic development, Cheryl Cook, as saying, “‘It’s a little dicey’ whether or not new health guidelines will pan out in favor of local farmers. That’s at least partly because the same soda companies who have a huge market in public school vending machines also sell bottled water and fruit juices. . . . Nutrition guidelines in the wellness policy are supposed to promote health and combat obesity. . . . New guidelines to cut back on sugar and fat content in beverages available in schools are to be implemented by the first day of the coming school year.”

Women’s Participation in Ag Increases (Lancaster Farming, June 17, ’06) “In record numbers, women are the primary operators on farms. Almost nowhere else is that more evident than in Pennsylvania. . . . As a result, the Pennsylvania Women’s Ag Network (PA-WagN) was founded, with a Website, http://wagn.cas.psu.edu. The program, which works in partnership with Penn State, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), and other organizations, allows members to develop their farm career with on-farm education, hands-on workshops, conferences, networking, and mentoring. They have their own newsletter. Membership is free.”

BIG manure-related changes (Manure Manager, May/June ’06). “North Carolina’s Barry Myers has made some significant changes to the family dairy farm in the last few years in terms of manure management. Myers has made the switch from using an irrigation system for manure application to a drag hose set-up, and he recently installed a state-of-the-art separation system. . . . With a 1,000-cow herd, manure management seems to take on a life of its own, in terms of consuming Myers’ time. . . . The most recent change has been the move to a sand bedding system and the installation of a McLanahan sand separator. Instead of being directed to the catch basins, the manure is now going via flumes to the separator, which removes the sand, with the manure then going on to the first stage lagoon. . . . Now that the separator is up and running, Myers is expecting the benefits to start. Being able to use sand bedding . . . with its increased cow comfort and health, is one benefit right off the bat.”

Beyond traditional manure handling (Manure Manager, May/June ’06). “With an increasing herd size, New York’s Fessenden Dairy was looking for a more effective way of handling its manure and opted for the On Farm Fertilization Recovery System or OFFRS. . . . OFFRS . . . involves a number of different elements and essentially combines the practices of solid waste separation, thermophilic compost, vermicomposting, aeration and biofiltration to process both the solid and liquid parts of the slurried manure from their 650-cow herd. . . . One of the most rewarding moments in confirming that they were indeed on the right path in terms of handling their manure came shortly after they set up their composting system. Some neighbors had voiced concerns in the past about the farm’s manure management system and odors. ‘The same people who had been voicing these concerns about our manure management were now among the first to pull into the barn yard with their pick-up truck and $20, asking for a losd of compost,’ says Fessenden.” Visit the Fessenden Farm website.

To Insure or Not to Insure (Landscape Contract Management, June ’06). Author Mark Battersby writes, “Massachusetts recently passed legislation making health insurance mandatory for every state resident. One controversial provision of that bill would fine any business that failed to provide health insurance to its employees. . . . Individuals will face tax penalties if they choose not to buy insurance. . . . an increasing number of states—23 at last count—are also considering bills that would force employers to either provide some health insurance coverage for workers or pay a penalty. While there are loopholes, exemptions and a great deal of controversy connected with this bold universal health care initiative, it raises an interesting question: can your business afford to offer health insurance to its employees? . . . What better time to investigate health care insurance, options for your employees, and the tax deductions that just might help make it an affordable option for the business?”

Low Milk Prices Dampen Dairy Month (Country Focus, PA Farm Bureau, June ’06). “Statistics show the All Milk Price for Pennsylvania dairymen slid from $17.30/cwt. in October to $14.70 in March with the steepest drop—by $1.10—occurring in March. . . . Nationwide, milk production was up 5% over a year earlier during the first quarter of this year. Pennsylvania was part of the trend. Milk production here has increased for 18 consecutive months and was up 5.4% in March. . . . There are signs the worst may be over for now. A recent ‘Dairy Market Outlook’ by Dr. Ken Bailey. . . reported that the rate of growth in the milk supply declined slightly in April. Cash prices at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange showed firmness as butter and cheese inventories cleared the market despite seasonal production growth, Dr. Bailey reported.”

What Can Dairymen Do? asks a headline in Country Focus (PA Farm Bureau, June ’06). “According to Mike Evanish, manager of Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s MSC Business Services, it’s important to keep increasing production. There may be an oversupply of milk nationwide, says Evanish, but in the east, there’s a milk shortage. . . . Gary Heckman, Executive Director of the state Agriculture Department’s Center for Dairy Excellence, also thinks Pennsylvania dairymen need to concentrate on increasing, not cutting back, on production. . . . Heckman believes Pennsylvania dairymen need to grow the industry in order to retain a strong infrastructure with supporting veterinarians, equipment dealers, feed mills and other services supplying agriculture in the state.”

Help is available to those working on a comprehensive nutrient management plan (CNMP), says Hoard’sDairyman (June ’06). “A new website, www.cnmpwatch.com, contains basic information to help get you started on your CNMP. The website emphasizes nutrient management planning and the plans that meet both state and federal water quality regulatory requirements. The site contains both federal and state-level information about nutrient management planning and how it applies to all livestock producers.”

Why dairy operations are getting bigger (Hoard’s Dairyman, June ’06). New York dairy farmer Doug Young writes, “Perhaps the biggest advantage for farms to grow . . . are the benefits of being able to receive better pay, being able to work fewer and more flexible hours and having regular weekends off, paid holidays, vacation, health insurance, and retirement benefits. . . . Agriculture involves a unique combination of required knowledge in biology, computers, soil science, mechanical systems, animal behavior, and medical approaches. . . . Many livestock businesses find it necessary to grow large enough to support a team of individuals with the skills necessary to optimize each area of expertise. . . . Modern milking parlors have played a big role. One person can milk 100 cows per hour. . . . Once the parlor is built, it makes economic sense to use it around the clock. . . . Enterprises which are well managed. . . generate significant profits. The business owner has to decide whether to pay taxes on the profits or to reinvest the profits back into the business which delays the tax burden.”

A Northeast Guide to NAIS: Farm reactions vary widely by Lorraine Stuart Merrill appears in Farming (June ’06). “On the Internet, opponents of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) claim it will bring satellite surveillance to backyards and barnyards. Advocates say that animal ID will not only help stop the spread of catastrophic disease, but also deter rustlers and provide a passport to premium markets. At this year’s Great Lakes Dairy Conference, farmers from Canada—which already has national animal ID—expressed their amazement at all the fuss in the United States. Despite the controversy and squabbling among producer groups, the USDA expects to have animal-tracking databases in place to record and store movement-tracking information for livestock animals by early 2007. . . . States in the Northeast are taking a variety of approaches to the premises registration phase of the NAIS.” Information about Pennsylvania’s program is at http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/agriculture/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=139856 and http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/subjects/state_tribe/pa_synopsis.shtml.

Managing to Success: Dairy farms can thrive in the right market says dairy nutritional consultant John Hibma in Farming (June ’06). “The dairy farmer in the 21st century . . . must understand the importance of getting an acceptable return on investment from cows, facilities and equipment. . . . We must all know what aspects of the business generate the greatest income and which areas of cost will have the greatest impact on cash flow. . . . the key to keeping a dairy profitable will be through aggressive management of costs. They will have to manage their way to profitability . . . . The managers of those dairies . . . will have to assemble a management team that provides answers, direction and professional expertise. . . There are many dairies that will not be able to deal with those challenges and have to go out of business. Times change, industries move forward and those dairy farmers that can adjust their management to compensate for those changes or are enterprising enough to seek out and find new markets or ways to market the milk they produce, will be the survivors and contribute to the future viability of our industry.”

Modernization at Ames: New era in animal health research is at hand reports Agricultural Research (ARS:USDA, June ’06). Ames, Iowa “is the site of three vital U.S. Department of Agriculture scientific facilities dedicated to animal health: the National Animal Disease Center (NADC), the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL), and the Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB). Now, work is well under way on an all-encompassing, state-of-the-art research center where the Ames scientists will continue their research on diseases of livestock and poultry. . . . An important result will be an improvement in American livestock’s competitiveness in world markets.” Read the complete article at http://ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jun06/ames0606.htm.

Farmers adapt as the city moves to the country (The Grower, Canada, June ’06). “As urbanization becomes more prevalent, farmers are taking positive approaches to help protect the environment, and keep peace with their new neighbours. That’s the word from a University of Guelph researcher, who’s studying the habits of 16,000 Canadian farmers. . . . He’s found those bordering urban areas are embracing new environmental programs, more so than their counterparts in farther remote, rural areas. . . . Farmers on the rural-urban fringe are becoming keener to use programs which can help guide and document a farm’s efforts to improve their environment. Among the most popular approaches are better odour controls, soil sampling to check nutrient availability, improved irrigation methods and manure storage practices. . . . The main limiting factor for not embracing new programs is the additional cost to the already cash-strapped farm sector.”

5 Steps to a Safer Wireless Network (BusinessWeek Online, June 15, 2006) “Wireless surfing on a laptop — whether at home or in public — is often a cinch for hackers to intercept. When people set up wireless network connections at home, they don't always have the technical knowledge to enable security. And safeguards for public network connections can be looser still. . . . Of course, most Wi-Fi freeloaders are looking for little more than a free surf on an open Internet connection. But some can break into an insecure network to read the data stored on a hard drive, plant malicious software on a computer, or . . . commit criminal activity using someone else's computer address.” . . . The article offers “some easy steps to network security that won't cost much extra time or money.” Suggestions include keep a clean preferred list; enable security on your router; and, pick a good password. Read more at 5 Steps.

How To Be an Ace Speaker (BusinessWeek Online, June 15, ‘06) Communication coach Carmine Gallo writes, “Americans are running out of patience. . . . Acknowledge this reality in your talks, e-mails, phone calls, presentations, meetings, and any other type of professional communications by getting to the point. Fast. . . . In fact, 15 minutes is about the length of the average attention span. Research shows that after 15 to 20 minutes our attention drops dramatically. . . . Keep your presentations and talks to that timeframe.” If you are running a longer session, for example a half-day course, Gallo recommends, “keep the 20-minute rule in mind and break the presentation into 20-minute blocks with different topics, exercises, demonstrations, or even breaks.” Read the complete article at http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jun2006/sb20060615_813420.htm.

Building a Web Presence on the Cheap (BusinessWeek Online, June 21, ’06). Author Jeffrey Gangemi interviews Kim T. Gordon, an advisor to small-business owners on growth and marketing issues. In answer to the question “Do all small businesses need a Web site?” Gordon answers, “Essentially, everyone needs a Web presence. . . . you might not need a Web site. Instead, a good listing on Yahoo!Local might be better, so that when people search online. . . , they get a map of where your business is and the phone number. . . . If you decide you need a Web site . . . Define your message such that it differentiates your company or what you’re selling. You have to try to look into the mind of your best, most ideal customer and answer their most pressing question, which is always, ‘What’s in it for me?’” Read the complete article at http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jun2006/sb20060621_644762.htm

Technology Drives Business—Learn or Get Left Behind (TPI Business Management, June/July ’06). The US Chamber of Commerce notes, “In 1908, Henry Ford’s automobiles became affordable for average Americans, due to the company’s increased productivity and to reduced costs from a reinvented assembly line. Ford’s innovative technology sparked a revolution that changed America and the world forever and drove many of his competitors out of business. . . . Many small business owners use computer technology grudgingly. They aren’t taking advantage of technological innovations to improve their businesses. . . Don’t dismiss the need to learn how to use this modern technology just because you don’t understand it or don’t see how it applies to your business. Don’t believe you can continue to have success without modernizing your business through technology.”

Planning a Seamless Succession (Big Grower, June ’06). “James Olan Hutcheson, founder and CEO of ReGENERATION Partners, a family business consulting firm . . . said roughly two-thirds of family businesses fail in the second generation largely because of family issues. . . . The first step in planning a succession is creating a crisis plan—develop your will and figure out who will take over the business. . . . The success of such a move depends largely on the chosen relative’s motivation to work in the industry and his or her real-world job training. . . . Make your heirs go through the same steps that anyone else vying for the position would go through. . . For families with multiple children or heirs. . . . dividing equally and creating passive ownership can position heirs for massive legal battles in the future. . . . Instead of dividing equally, try talking with your family and dividing your assets differently among them: The children involved with the company can inherit it, while others can receive insurance benefits, real estate holdings or other assets.”

Dairy Outlook - Second Half 2006 (Dairy Outlook Summer ’06) Dr. Ken Bailey says, “Despite a strong showing for domestic consumption of key dairy commodities, the U.S. will be in a surplus situation for the balance of the year. This will be particularly true for butter and nonfat dry milk. Butter inventory in April was 20 percent ahead of a year ago. And as of June 2, 2006 the U.S. government had purchased 48.8 million pounds of nonfat dry milk over the past 12 weeks.” Read the complete summer edition of Dairy Outlook at http://dairyoutlook.aers.psu.edu/reports/Pub2006/DairyOutlookSummer2006.pdf.

Accounting software isn’t enough (Dairy Herd Management, June ’06). Bruce Jones, professor of agricultural economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, says, “Dairy farm businesses are bigger and more complex today. As a result, few producers have the time to develop all of the expertise in accounting and finance needed to handle every decision with financial consequences. . . . As dairy farms have grown, producers have learned there are advantages to getting management assistance from specialists. . . . The natural extension of this model is for producers to retain the services of an accountant who can assist with income taxes, financial-reporting requirements, investment decisions and loan negotiations. . . . It’s true that it can be costly to utilize the services of accountants. But it can be even more costly to make investment or credit decisions that put a drag on the profitability of your dairy farms or, at worst, push your operation into bankruptcy.”

Will New Beverage Guidelines Mean More Milk in Schools? asks Lancaster Farming (June 17, ’06). Writer Dave Lefever quotes PDA deputy secretary of marketing and economic development, Cheryl Cook, as saying, “‘It’s a little dicey’ whether or not new health guidelines will pan out in favor of local farmers. That’s at least partly because the same soda companies who have a huge market in public school vending machines also sell bottled water and fruit juices. . . . Nutrition guidelines in the wellness policy are supposed to promote health and combat obesity. . . . New guidelines to cut back on sugar and fat content in beverages available in schools are to be implemented by the first day of the coming school year.”

Women’s Participation in Ag Increases (Lancaster Farming, June 17, ’06) “In record numbers, women are the primary operators on farms. Almost nowhere else is that more evident than in Pennsylvania. . . . As a result, the Pennsylvania Women’s Ag Network (PA-WagN) was founded, with a Website, http://wagn.cas.psu.edu. The program, which works in partnership with Penn State, Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA), and other organizations, allows members to develop their farm career with on-farm education, hands-on workshops, conferences, networking, and mentoring. They have their own newsletter. Membership is free.”

BIG manure-related changes (Manure Manager, May/June ’06). “North Carolina’s Barry Myers has made some significant changes to the family dairy farm in the last few years in terms of manure management. Myers has made the switch from using an irrigation system for manure application to a drag hose set-up, and he recently installed a state-of-the-art separation system. . . . With a 1,000-cow herd, manure management seems to take on a life of its own, in terms of consuming Myers’ time. . . . The most recent change has been the move to a sand bedding system and the installation of a McLanahan sand separator. Instead of being directed to the catch basins, the manure is now going via flumes to the separator, which removes the sand, with the manure then going on to the first stage lagoon. . . . Now that the separator is up and running, Myers is expecting the benefits to start. Being able to use sand bedding . . . with its increased cow comfort and health, is one benefit right off the bat.”

Beyond traditional manure handling (Manure Manager, May/June ’06). “With an increasing herd size, New York’s Fessenden Dairy was looking for a more effective way of handling its manure and opted for the On Farm Fertilization Recovery System or OFFRS. . . . OFFRS . . . involves a number of different elements and essentially combines the practices of solid waste separation, thermophilic compost, vermicomposting, aeration and biofiltration to process both the solid and liquid parts of the slurried manure from their 650-cow herd. . . . One of the most rewarding moments in confirming that they were indeed on the right path in terms of handling their manure came shortly after they set up their composting system. Some neighbors had voiced concerns in the past about the farm’s manure management system and odors. ‘The same people who had been voicing these concerns about our manure management were now among the first to pull into the barn yard with their pick-up truck and $20, asking for a losd of compost,’ says Fessenden.” Visit the Fessenden Farm website.

To Insure or Not to Insure (Landscape Contract Management, June ’06). Author Mark Battersby writes, “Massachusetts recently passed legislation making health insurance mandatory for every state resident. One controversial provision of that bill would fine any business that failed to provide health insurance to its employees. . . . Individuals will face tax penalties if they choose not to buy insurance. . . . an increasing number of states—23 at last count—are also considering bills that would force employers to either provide some health insurance coverage for workers or pay a penalty. While there are loopholes, exemptions and a great deal of controversy connected with this bold universal health care initiative, it raises an interesting question: can your business afford to offer health insurance to its employees? . . . What better time to investigate health care insurance, options for your employees, and the tax deductions that just might help make it an affordable option for the business?”

Low Milk Prices Dampen Dairy Month (Country Focus, PA Farm Bureau, June ’06). “Statistics show the All Milk Price for Pennsylvania dairymen slid from $17.30/cwt. in October to $14.70 in March with the steepest drop—by $1.10—occurring in March. . . . Nationwide, milk production was up 5% over a year earlier during the first quarter of this year. Pennsylvania was part of the trend. Milk production here has increased for 18 consecutive months and was up 5.4% in March. . . . There are signs the worst may be over for now. A recent ‘Dairy Market Outlook’ by Dr. Ken Bailey. . . reported that the rate of growth in the milk supply declined slightly in April. Cash prices at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange showed firmness as butter and cheese inventories cleared the market despite seasonal production growth, Dr. Bailey reported.”

What Can Dairymen Do? asks a headline in Country Focus (PA Farm Bureau, June ’06). “According to Mike Evanish, manager of Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s MSC Business Services, it’s important to keep increasing production. There may be an oversupply of milk nationwide, says Evanish, but in the east, there’s a milk shortage. . . . Gary Heckman, Executive Director of the state Agriculture Department’s Center for Dairy Excellence, also thinks Pennsylvania dairymen need to concentrate on increasing, not cutting back, on production. . . . Heckman believes Pennsylvania dairymen need to grow the industry in order to retain a strong infrastructure with supporting veterinarians, equipment dealers, feed mills and other services supplying agriculture in the state.”

Help is available to those working on a comprehensive nutrient management plan (CNMP), says Hoard’sDairyman (June ’06). “A new website, www.cnmpwatch.com, contains basic information to help get you started on your CNMP. The website emphasizes nutrient management planning and the plans that meet both state and federal water quality regulatory requirements. The site contains both federal and state-level information about nutrient management planning and how it applies to all livestock producers.”

Why dairy operations are getting bigger (Hoard’s Dairyman, June ’06). New York dairy farmer Doug Young writes, “Perhaps the biggest advantage for farms to grow . . . are the benefits of being able to receive better pay, being able to work fewer and more flexible hours and having regular weekends off, paid holidays, vacation, health insurance, and retirement benefits. . . . Agriculture involves a unique combination of required knowledge in biology, computers, soil science, mechanical systems, animal behavior, and medical approaches. . . . Many livestock businesses find it necessary to grow large enough to support a team of individuals with the skills necessary to optimize each area of expertise. . . . Modern milking parlors have played a big role. One person can milk 100 cows per hour. . . . Once the parlor is built, it makes economic sense to use it around the clock. . . . Enterprises which are well managed. . . generate significant profits. The business owner has to decide whether to pay taxes on the profits or to reinvest the profits back into the business which delays the tax burden.”

A Northeast Guide to NAIS: Farm reactions vary widely by Lorraine Stuart Merrill appears in Farming (June ’06). “On the Internet, opponents of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) claim it will bring satellite surveillance to backyards and barnyards. Advocates say that animal ID will not only help stop the spread of catastrophic disease, but also deter rustlers and provide a passport to premium markets. At this year’s Great Lakes Dairy Conference, farmers from Canada—which already has national animal ID—expressed their amazement at all the fuss in the United States. Despite the controversy and squabbling among producer groups, the USDA expects to have animal-tracking databases in place to record and store movement-tracking information for livestock animals by early 2007. . . . States in the Northeast are taking a variety of approaches to the premises registration phase of the NAIS.” Information about Pennsylvania’s program is at http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/agriculture/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=139856 and http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/subjects/state_tribe/pa_synopsis.shtml.

Managing to Success: Dairy farms can thrive in the right market says dairy nutritional consultant John Hibma in Farming (June ’06). “The dairy farmer in the 21st century . . . must understand the importance of getting an acceptable return on investment from cows, facilities and equipment. . . . We must all know what aspects of the business generate the greatest income and which areas of cost will have the greatest impact on cash flow. . . . the key to keeping a dairy profitable will be through aggressive management of costs. They will have to manage their way to profitability . . . . The managers of those dairies . . . will have to assemble a management team that provides answers, direction and professional expertise. . . There are many dairies that will not be able to deal with those challenges and have to go out of business. Times change, industries move forward and those dairy farmers that can adjust their management to compensate for those changes or are enterprising enough to seek out and find new markets or ways to market the milk they produce, will be the survivors and contribute to the future viability of our industry.”

Modernization at Ames: New era in animal health research is at hand reports Agricultural Research (ARS:USDA, June ’06). Ames, Iowa “is the site of three vital U.S. Department of Agriculture scientific facilities dedicated to animal health: the National Animal Disease Center (NADC), the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL), and the Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB). Now, work is well under way on an all-encompassing, state-of-the-art research center where the Ames scientists will continue their research on diseases of livestock and poultry. . . . An important result will be an improvement in American livestock’s competitiveness in world markets.” Read the complete article at http://ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jun06/ames0606.htm.

Farmers adapt as the city moves to the country (The Grower, Canada, June ’06). “As urbanization becomes more prevalent, farmers are taking positive approaches to help protect the environment, and keep peace with their new neighbours. That’s the word from a University of Guelph researcher, who’s studying the habits of 16,000 Canadian farmers. . . . He’s found those bordering urban areas are embracing new environmental programs, more so than their counterparts in farther remote, rural areas. . . . Farmers on the rural-urban fringe are becoming keener to use programs which can help guide and document a farm’s efforts to improve their environment. Among the most popular approaches are better odour controls, soil sampling to check nutrient availability, improved irrigation methods and manure storage practices. . . . The main limiting factor for not embracing new programs is the additional cost to the already cash-strapped farm sector.”

5 Steps to a Safer Wireless Network (BusinessWeek Online, June 15, 2006) “Wireless surfing on a laptop — whether at home or in public — is often a cinch for hackers to intercept. When people set up wireless network connections at home, they don't always have the technical knowledge to enable security. And safeguards for public network connections can be looser still. . . . Of course, most Wi-Fi freeloaders are looking for little more than a free surf on an open Internet connection. But some can break into an insecure network to read the data stored on a hard drive, plant malicious software on a computer, or . . . commit criminal activity using someone else's computer address.” . . . The article offers “some easy steps to network security that won't cost much extra time or money.” Suggestions include keep a clean preferred list; enable security on your router; and, pick a good password. Read more at 5 Steps.

How To Be an Ace Speaker (BusinessWeek Online, June 15, ‘06) Communication coach Carmine Gallo writes, “Americans are running out of patience. . . . Acknowledge this reality in your talks, e-mails, phone calls, presentations, meetings, and any other type of professional communications by getting to the point. Fast. . . . In fact, 15 minutes is about the length of the average attention span. Research shows that after 15 to 20 minutes our attention drops dramatically. . . . Keep your presentations and talks to that timeframe.” If you are running a longer session, for example a half-day course, Gallo recommends, “keep the 20-minute rule in mind and break the presentation into 20-minute blocks with different topics, exercises, demonstrations, or even breaks.” Read the complete article at http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jun2006/sb20060615_813420.htm.

Building a Web Presence on the Cheap (BusinessWeek Online, June 21, ’06). Author Jeffrey Gangemi interviews Kim T. Gordon, an advisor to small-business owners on growth and marketing issues. In answer to the question “Do all small businesses need a Web site?” Gordon answers, “Essentially, everyone needs a Web presence. . . . you might not need a Web site. Instead, a good listing on Yahoo!Local might be better, so that when people search online. . . , they get a map of where your business is and the phone number. . . . If you decide you need a Web site . . . Define your message such that it differentiates your company or what you’re selling. You have to try to look into the mind of your best, most ideal customer and answer their most pressing question, which is always, ‘What’s in it for me?’” Read the complete article at http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jun2006/sb20060621_644762.htm

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